Adult Learners -

Notes

UGC NET Paper 1

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Characteristics of Adult Learners

 
Adult Learners
 
Adult learners are a diverse group of individuals age 25 and older – with a diverse range of
cultural and educational backgrounds, adult responsibilities and job experiences.

 
Characteristics of Adult Learner 
 

1. Autonomous, independent and self-directed

Autonomous means self-governing, thinking, feeling and governing independently;

independent on the other hand is not being dependent on someone or something, being
free. 

Adult learners are self-governing, self-dependent and self-directing. Their

facilitators/teachers have to understand these characteristics and use experiential
methods of teaching and learning, guiding the adult learners only when required and
helping the adult learners to achieve their goals set out prior to entering the learning
situation. 

The apprehensions and trepidation arising out of self-directed learning amongst the
adult learners can be overcome by the teacher's facilitative and supportive role. Since the
adult learners are autonomous and independent, all learning endeavours have to be
collaborative, participatory and democratic to maximise learning. 

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2. Goal-oriented individuals 

Adults set their goals very clearly and elaborately in whatever activity that they involve
themselves in. Their participation in learning activities also involves the achievement of
the enunciated goals. 

Sometimes the goal may be social i.e. simply to socialize and meet and make new friends,
or it may be educational i.e. to gain/add a degree/qualification, or it may be
vocational/occupational i.e. to add a skill or upgrade existing skills, or an economic goal
i.e. to add a qualification or a skill and then get an increment/higher position or go for a
better job that would pay more. 

It is important that the facilitators should clearly enunciate how the courses designed for
the adults help learners achieve the stipulated personal as well as professional goals.

3. Voluntary learners 

Adults learners join the learning process without any pressures, compulsions or
coercion. They are voluntary learners. 4. Result-oriented 

Besides coming voluntarily to the learning situation, the adult learners are highly result-
oriented learners. They usually have a definite result in their mind when they join a
teaching-learning program. 

If the results they are anticipating out of learning activities aren’t achieved they may even
drop out of the learning program.

4. Self-Esteem and Self-Image 

Extensive studies on learning and educational attainments of adult learners indicate an

association between low self-esteem and a negative self-image among learners with poor
learning & educational attainments and non participation in the training learning
situations. 

The building of a positive self-image and a high self-esteem should be the goal of any
learning situation. Research further indicates that emotions cannot be separated from
intellect (learning). If the learner is stressed, over-anxious he/she will not be able to learn.

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Henceforth when the adult learners come to teaching-learning situation it is important

that adult educators communicate with their adult learners with the utmost respect. 

Experiences provided to the learners should be positive that boost their confidence,
morale, self esteem and bolster a positive self-image.

5. Motivated learner 

An adult learner is a voluntary learner and motivated learner. If learning is imposed, an

adult learner doesn’t benefit from it. Their motivation to learn is related to their
immediate needs and requirements. This means that they are usually intrinsically
motivated to be part of the learning process. 

Intrinsic motivation involves a lot of curiosity on part of the learner, active exploration and
spontaneity. However, a raise, a salary increase, or an additional bonus, may extrinsically
motivate an adult to participate in learning programs. According to Muller and Louw
(2004) extrinsic motivation is determined by some external contingency such as the
avoidance of negative consequences or good marks. 

It is foremost for the facilitators/ teachers of adult learners to identify these intrinsic or
extrinsic factors of learning. The disparity in the individual learning styles of learners too
has to be catered too by using a variety of learning methods. After having done so, the
learning processes should cater to these needs in order to keep them motivated and
interested in learning. 

6. Adults are Practical 

Adult learners are pragmatic and practical. They have to see the relevance, usefulness
and benefit of the learning activity that they participate in.

7. Emotional Barriers

Humans are a bundle of emotions and they experience a variety of emotions throughout
life. 

Emotions affect the learning process. Previous traumatic negative learning experiences
impact and even scar emotional ability to handle experiences for life. 

Because of the previously traumatic learning experiences, many adult learners have no
faith left in their abilities and are too scared to learn(Horsman, 1999). 

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These experiences continue to bog and impede their learning causing emotional barriers
for meaningful learning to occur.

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